This invention relates to a gaming machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a gaming machine and to an improvement to a game played on such a gaming machine.
Players who regularly play gaming machines quickly tire of particular games and therefore it is necessary for manufacturers of these machines to develop innovative game features which add interest to the games. In so doing, it is hoped to keep players amused and therefore willing to continue playing the game as well as to attract new players. Also, with the growth that has occurred in the gaming machine market, there is intense competition between manufacturers to supply various existing and new venues. When selecting a supplier of gaming machines, the operator of a venue will often pay close attention to the popularity of various games with their patrons. Therefore, gaming machine manufacturers are keen to devise games which are popular with the players as a mechanism for improving sales, retaining customers and attracting new customers.
According to the invention, there is provided a gaming machine having a display means and a game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game wherein random events are caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event results, the machine awards a prize, the gaming machine being characterised in that if the predefined result includes a trigger condition which results in an initial series of free games awarded to a player and, during the initial series of free games, another trigger condition arises, a subsequent series of free games, including a bonus feature, is awarded and implemented immediately during the existence of the initial series of free games with the bonus feature applicable to said subsequent series of free games being applied to the remaining games of the initial series of free games as well as to the games of the subsequent series of free games.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the game includes an initial bonus feature awarded during the initial series of free games. Then, when the subsequent series of free games occurs, the bonus feature of the subsequent series of free games supersedes the initial bonus feature applicable in respect of the remainder of the games of the initial series so that the bonus feature applicable to the subsequent series of free games applies to all the remaining free games.
It will be appreciated that, in the subsequent series of free games, if the trigger condition again arises to trigger a further series of free games, the further series of free games has a further bonus feature associated with it. The further bonus feature may supersede the bonus feature of the remaining games of the subsequent series of free games as well as any remaining games of the initial series of free games.
The awarding of yet further bonus features when additional free games are triggered may occur, optionally, a finite number of times.
Any suitable bonus feature may be applicable. Thus, the bonus feature may include at least one of changes in definitions of symbol functions, for example, to scatters, substitutes, bonus symbols, feature triggers, etc, paytable variations or an increase in the number of free games awarded.
Preferably, the bonus feature for the initial series of free games is a paytable where all wins are doubled in comparison with the paytable applicable to a base game, the bonus feature for the subsequent series of free games is a paytable where all wins are trebled, the bonus feature for the further series of free games is a paytable where all wins are multiplied by five and the bonus feature for a fourth series is a paytable where wins are multiplied by ten. Any series of free games after the fourth series of free games has the bonus feature of the fourth series of free games applied to them. In other words, no further bonuses are awarded.
The invention may be applicable in respect of any types of base games played on a gaming machine. Thus, although the invention would be particularly applicable in respect of spinning reel-type base games, it could apply also in respect of card games, ball games such as Keno, or the like.
The trigger condition which triggers the subsequent and any further series of free games is the same as the trigger condition which triggered the initial series of free games. For example the trigger condition may be the appearance of three scatter symbols anywhere on the display means.